


Only Nine

by BookshopLaura



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, De-Aged, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2018-10-06 07:40:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10329491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookshopLaura/pseuds/BookshopLaura
Summary: Merlin accidentally turns Arthur into a nine year old





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I realised I did an awful lot of de-aged Merlin, but I never de-aged Arthur, so here we go. 
> 
> As usual virtual cookies and my eternal gratitude for comments, especially those bullying me to write this and/or finish any other fic. (Yes, I know, the plague).

Arthur doesn't like being small again. Everything seems so much bigger and more complicated when you're nine. Well, no, at first it seems a lot simpler and clearer and then you're told that you hadn't thought a lot of things through. Because you really should have thought about the consequences of saying this and doing that and then you realise that things are a whole lot more complicated than you thought, but it hadn't seemed like that. Like Merlin, for instance. 

Merlin had been his servant, and his friend. And now it, it seems, the whole time Merlin had also had magic. Which means Merlin is a liar. And also something his father said about magic being banned and evil, but that's not the most important point. The most important point is that Merlin is a liar. And he has been lying to Arthur right up until the point when he enchanted Arthur to be nine years old. Which he probably did on purpose, out of spite, because Arthur hated being nine. He'd hated being nine the first time, and he certainly hated it the second time. 

In fact the second time was worse, because he remembers how people used to respect his opinion and listen to him. And now they say they do, but actually, they know better, Sire, so actually we think we'll do this instead. You'll understand when you're a grown up, again. And Arthur finds himself pouting and folding his arms, which would probably have frightened half his knights if he were an adult, but actually was just making people smirk. Arthur shot a glare across at Merlin. This was all his fault. Merlin claimed it was accidental. Claimed it was Arthur's fault for stealing the potion infused slice of cheese he was preparing for a mouse, just to see if he really could de-age something. But that didn't make Arthur feel any better, especially as Merlin hadn't admitted his 'crime' even then. Instead Arthur had caught him working with Gaius on a remedy, and overheard Merlin say 'but if you look at the potion I gave him, we need to be looking at...". That was the only advantage of being Arthur a boy again, he's a lot smaller and lighter. Better for creeping around places. Also a lot quieter, although he had yelled and screamed at Merlin that night, before running to his room, locking the door and crying into his pillow. 

Merlin had come anyway, unlocking the door with magic, but only standing by it. 

"Arthur, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. And I didn't mean for you to find out this way." he'd said. And he'd sounded like he meant it.

"I hate you!" he'd shouted back. 

"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" 

"Arthur please..."

"Go Away! I never want to see you again!" he'd yelled, throwing a pillow that fell depressingly short of it's target, and throwing himself down into the pillow he hadn't thrown to carry on crying. 

He remember that night, two days ago, and he remembers the lies, and he hates Merlin. So, fed up with no one taking him seriously, he decides that Merlin needs to pay. So he tells them. Stands up in front of the entire court, and tells them that Merlin has magic and that Merlin has cursed him. And he feels triumphant, jubilant, as he sees Merlin blink, and the colour drain from his face. And then guards are grabbing Merlin by the arms and dragging him away, and Arthur's happy about that too, although there is a little niggle there. It's probably not that important, Merlin will pay for what he's done. 

But when he's back in his chambers, sitting on the bench by the fire, swinging his legs, he feels lonely. He doesn't want Merlin, no, but he wants to talk to someone. Anyone. Then George comes in, and starts pottering around, and okay, maybe not just anyone. Because George is even more boring as a child than he was as an adult. So Arthur gets up and starts fiddling around with things on his desk. 

"When will Merlin be back?" he asks George, as he picks up a quill and starts twirling it with his hand. 

"Back, Sire?" 

"How long does he have to stay in prison?" he asks. 

"Oh... I think it's only overnight Sire."

"So, he will bring me breakfast?" he asks. 

"No, Sire, I'll be bringing you breakfast from now on. All of your meals. I'm your manservant now." 

"But, what will Merlin do? When he gets out?" 

"Sire, Merlin's trial will be tomorrow. He's already admitted to the crime, so it will be short. From there he will go straight to the gallows."

"But..." starts Arthur. And it's one of those times all over again. It was so simple. Merlin did wrong, Merlin needs to be punished. But now Merlin is going to die, and Arthur doesn't want that. How could he have forgotten! He knew that's what his father did to sorcerers, but he hadn't thought, hadn't...

"But I don't want him to be hanged!" he cries at George.

"Sire, he uses magic, and he cursed you."

"He didn't mean to!" cries Arthur, because isn't it obvious. 

"I know he was your friend, Sire, but..."

"He can't die! I don't want him to die! Let him go! Tell them to let him go! I order them to let him go!" yells Arthur, running over to George, grabbing him by the shirt.

"There's nothing I can do Sire, nothing you can do now." says George, and he means it to be reassuring.

"I'm the king!" shouts Arthur, and hates how he can hear that he sounds like a child.

"Yes but... you're only nine, Sire." says George. Arthur wants to get angry, start running around demanding releases, changes to laws, etc. But he can't do any of that because he's completely helpless. So he does the only thing he can, and starts crying.


	2. Chapter 2

It must be well past midnight, and Arthur is still awake, sitting in bed, thinking. And sniffing. He'd watched them build the gallows that afternoon, screaming at them to stop. At first the builders had stopped, turning to look at each other in confusion. But then his uncle had appeared and ordered them back to work. Arthur hates his uncle. His uncle who is bossing everyone about like Arthur should. His uncle who ordered them to lock him in his room when he kept trying to run out and stop them. But Arthur's beginning to think a little clearer. Because he has a set of keys to his rooms, which no one else, except Merlin, knows about. And he's got a bit of a plan. Not a lot, maybe not enough, but a bit of a plan. 

So he sneaks out of bed and over to the window and looks out. The guard is just changing, which means it's actually only about 10pm. Arthur frowns. He feels tireder than 10pm, it feels later than 10pm. 

So he walks over to the candle George had set up for him for 'night terrors'. At least that's what he'd told George. Arthur doesn't need a candle to sleep. His father didn't let him have any kind of night light past the age of six, but George didn't know that. He sets it on the table then starts collecting some useful items. A small dagger. He uses this to mark about three inches down the candle. He reckons that will be late enough to start his attempt. Then he changes his mind and makes a mark about an inch above that. Then he sits down, with his elbows on the table and thinks about what else he needs. He goes and collects the keys and places them quietly on the table. Then he thinks again. Then he goes to his cupboard and gets a cloak. It's too big, so he puts it back. Then he gets it out again, because Merlin can wear it as a disguise. A map of the Camelot! He goes through his desk, but he doesn't have one. And the more he thinks about it he doesn't need it. He knows the city and they couldn't read it without a candle anyway.

So he gives up on things he might need and sits down by the table to watch the candle. He feels his eyes drooping, he knows he's falling asleep, and forces himself to sit upright. But he can feel sleep pulling at his eyes again, and he realises he needs to do something drastic, for Merlin. So he sticks his finger in the candle flame. He shouts out in his pain, and immediately jumps back, staring at the door, wide awake now. He watches it for a good few minutes, but it doesn't open. Crying a little he goes to sit down again, clasping his hands together, determined to watch the candle burn down to the line.

\---

Arthur wakes up with a start to the sound of shouting outside. He looks around confused. He's sat at his table, his arms and legs and neck are all stiff and he can hear the sound of people shouting outside. He looks over at the window, and the blue sky beyond it is like a bucket of cold water over him. He's darting out of his chair and running over to look. That's the men working to finish the scaffold. Everyone's up. He fell asleep. He fell asleep and Merlin's going to be executed. Tears begin to roll down his cheeks, but he rubs them off angrily with his sleeve, he needs to think big. Think adult. He runs to the table, grabbing the keys and the dagger. Then changes his mind and puts the dagger back on the table. He runs over to the side door, the entrance Merlin usually uses, and quietly unlockes it. Peeking outside he can't see anyone, so he makes a dash for it, down the stairs and towards the dungeons. He's heading towards the kitchens when he sees George carrying his food. So he has even less time. He darts into the nearest room to hide, and behind some hanging clothes. He waits for the sound of George's footsteps to die away before he goes to leave, quickly grabbing a brown shirt from the washing line to pull over him before he carries on. 

He makes it as far as two corridors for the dungeons before the alarm is sounded that he's missing, so he ducks into the armoury as people go crashing past in armour which seems so much more menacing than it did before. He's hiding behind the open door to the armoury, desperately trying to think of how he'll get to Merlin, when he hears people talking and sees Leon through the gap in the door walking towards him, talking to someone.

"I know what Sir Argravaine said, but Arthur didn't seem enchanted to me." he's saying. 

"You think he's upset with Agravaine?" that's Gwaine's voice, although he can't see him. There's a pause, Arthur can almost imagine Leon looking around. 

"His servant, George, told me Arthur was beside himself when he heard Merlin would be executed."

"But he basically ordered it!" says Gwaine, and Arthur can hear the anger in his voice. 

"No, don't you remember. He said Merlin had magic, but he didn't state a punishment. George said Arthur was expecting a prison sentence. He asked when Merlin would return to work."

"Well that was stupid of him!" spits Gwaine venomously, and Arthur frowns. Gwaine's always preferred Merlin to him. 

"No!" cuts back Leon angrily, and for a moment Arthur's heart swells. "It's not stupid, it's childish! And at this moment he is a child. And what do children do when they get scared and things are going wrong?"

"They run away." sums up Gwaine, and Arthur wants to both shout and cry at both of them, because he's not running away. He wants to go out there and yell in their faces, but he needs to get to Merlin, but they're adults, so they'll probably just send him back to his room or something else equally grown up and sensible and entirely unhelpful. 

"Right. I'm going to check with Gaius to see if he's hiding there. You, gather a couple of the others and head round the castle first." With that he hears Leon turn and walk away. And then Gwaine is turning and stepping into the armoury, unbuckling his sword belt from around his chain mail as he walks. Arthur tries not to make a sound, not to even breath, but Gwaine must hear something because he turns around, unsheathing his sword in a second. For a moment Arthur's scared that Gwaine will do something as he stares at the tip of the sword, but as soon as Gwaine's eyes light on Arthur, he drops it. 

"What are you doing hiding in here?" he asks, frowning. For a moment Arthur breathes, then looks up at Gwaine. 

"I'm still your king!" he says, his lip pouting and his brow furrowing furiously. "And I wasn't running away! I'm going to save Merlin. I'm going to break him out of the prison so no one can hurt him!" His fists are clenched and he tries to hold his head up and look as royally furious as any nine year old on the verge of angry tears can. 

The confusion on Gwaine's face falls into unenthusiastic understanding. Then he's pushing forward and closing the thick armoury door, before turning back to Arthur. 

"Of course you are." he says. 

"I am!" 

"You're nine years old, you can't even pick up a sword, and you're going to break into the most guarded cell in Camelot single-handed? You're definitely not enchanted, because that's got Arthur Pendragon written all over it." 

"I can pick up a sword!" declares Arthur, and runs over to grab the sword from Gwaine's hand before he can protest. He manages, using both hands, to pull it about an two inches off of the ground. 

"Okay, well, that's great. But you need to wield it, so we'll leave that part to me."

"Are you going to help me?" asks Arthur, frowning as Gwaine takes back his sword with one hand and sheaths it. 

"You're trying to break Merlin out, of course I'm going to help you. In fact I have a plan." he says. 

"But I have a plan!" replies Arthur. Gwaine looks at him with one eyebrow raised. 

"Okay, what is your plan?" he says, humouring him. 

"To break Merlin out of prison." says Arthur. Gwaine continues to look at him. 

"Okay, we need more specifics, so we'll go with my plan. I tried to break Merlin out last night, but he wouldn't go because he thinks you want him dead..."

"No!" cries Arthur, his eyes growing wide and mouth curving down. Gwaine sits down on his heels in front of him, holding Arthur firmly by the shoulders. 

"Shhh, I haven't finished. No, don't cry! Please don't cry, they'll hear us. I have a plan! If I can smuggle you down to see him, you can convince him you want him to live, then he can break out! Then all we have to do is get you big again, then you can pardon him!"

"How will I get to him? There's all those guards in the way" says Arthur, and to be honest, this was the flaw in his own plan. 

"That is the question." says Gwaine standing up, his hand under his chin. 

"You could put me in something!" says Arthur, and that's a really good idea, he can tell. 

"But what? What could I reasonably be assumed to be carrying down towards the dungeons which you could fit in? You're not exactly small, well, you are. You know what I mean. No, I have a better plan. Seeing as you're so much lighter on your feet now, I have a new game" 

"I don't want to play a game, I want to save Merlin!" says Arthur, frowning. 

"What if this game saved Merlin?" says Gwaine smiling. Arthur looks at him, unconvinced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sincerest apologies for how long it's taken me to get back to this, especially to Zorn! I hope you enjoy it!


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur is not impressed by Gwaine's 'game', which essentially consists of Gwaine attempting to blag and distract people long enough for Arthur dart between rooms, nocks and crannies between the armoury and the dungeon. It's more effective in some areas that others, and it's better than any plan he came up with, he has to admit, but he still doesn't like it. Some corridors have more doors and corners to hide behind, some less. Some have more guards wandering in and around than others. And some guards are more likely to chat to Gwaine, or fall for whatever hijinks he's coming up with on the spot to distract them than others. At least three times Arthur's actually forced to head back the way he came to avoid detection, darting into a room further back than he'd been a minute ago because someone had turned a corner. And he's nearly caught twice. Even at nine he can see that Gwaine is an awful actor and the part of him that has adult memories wants to yell at him, and the nine year old him wants to cry at him. But he's not a baby, and he knows how important it is to get to Merlin as soon as he can. 

It takes them about an hour for what should have been a ten minute walk, and they've come to a standstill just outside the entrance to the dungeons. There's an iron gate into the guard room, with the cells lying in a corridor beyond that. Gwaine is chatting to the slightly rotund guard on duty, trying with very little success to convince him to trade positions. From where he's in a hidden corner just outside the iron bars leading into the guard room, behind some cloaks, Arthur can hear Gwaine persisting. 

"Look, come on, I can't be bothered with this wild goose chase. If you'll switch with me, there's a bottle of wine in it for you!"

"No." replies the guard without even looking up. 

"Two." tries Gwaine

"Gwaine, I'm engaged to the daughter of the owner of the Rising Sun. You're going to have to come up with something far better than that!" he replies, looking back at Gwaine, unimpressed.

"I'll cover any other shift for you, you want, Kay! Even night duty!" offers Gwaine. 

"I like night duty. I get a nice kip as long as you don't get to merry, Gwaine!" points out Kay. 

"Then I promise not get merry next time I'm out!" 

"Gwaine, I'm not risking a right kicking from Leon for NOT sitting on my arse! He told me to stay right here, so here's where I staying." says Kay, picking up a bottle from the table he's sat by and taking a swig. 

Suddenly Arthur's view from between the cloaks is obscured and revealed again quickly. Arthur can feel his heart racing. He hadn't heard them coming and they'd been centimetres from him. If they'd turned just for a moment they might have seen him. But he can't move because that would be even more obvious. 

"Come on, Kay!" whines Gwaine. 

"Come on what, Gwaine?" comes Leon's stern voice. 

"Oh, er, hi Leon" says Gwaine, turning around stiffly. Kay is jumping to his feet and saluting, the bottle falling over on the table. 

"I, er, was just discussing shifts" say Gwaine and Arthur really could kill him. 

"Shifts? I thought you were gathering some of the others to start a search party for the King?" says Leon, and even to Arthur, it's clear that Leon's suspicious. 

"I, er..." Gwaine's eyes are moving around him awkwardly. Arthur can almost see the wheels in Gwaine's head turning as he tries to conjure up an exuse. 

"Arthur?" comes Merlin's voice, quiet from the cells beyond the guards station. 

"Shut up!" shouts Kay, almost by instinct it seems by the way he barely glances over his shoulder, keeping his eyes mainly on Leon. 

"What's happened to Arthur? Is he okay?" says Merlin, and Arthur's not sure what to do. Merlin sounds worried, which is ridiculous, because Arthur was the reason Merlin's in prison in the first place. But Merlin's voice also calls to him. It seems so long since he's heard it. Not since all the nightmares where he's imagined Merlin executed and hearing his voice sets Arthur's ears ringing. 

"The king is..." starts Leon.

"He doesn't want you executed!" blurts Gwaine to Merlin, running towards the cells. 

"He wants you released, but they won't listen to him. So he's run away and..."

"Gwaine, where is the king!" shouts Leon, stalking over to him. Gwaine doesn't reply, and Arthur can just about make out him looking at Leon rebelliously. 

"Gwaine! Lord Agravaine has..." starts Leon. 

"Lord Agravaine is not King!" says Gwaine. 

"And the King is currently not in his right mind! He's only Nine! Now where is he!" demands Leon

"Sir!" says Kay and when Arthur's eyes dart to Kay, he's looking straight into Arthur's eyes and pointing at him. He acts completely on instinct, breaking cover and racing for where Merlin is in the cells. But that's past both Kay and Leon. He makes it round the table, and the chair and is just level with the first cell. He can see Merlin, is reaching for him, can see Merlin's eyes widening, and he's reaching back for him, when he feels himself picked up by the waist by Leon. 

"Sire, I'm sorry about this. Come on" he's saying. But Arthur's kicking and thrashing, throwing his whole body backwards and forwards, smacking his head against Leon's once, but Leon doesn't let go. Leon's just about managing to stand still. Gwaine's rushing forward to help, but it's all falling apart. Arthur's plans, Gwaine's plans, it's all going to end with Merlin dead, just like Arthur had imagined it and he screams out, because he can't bear it. Can't bear that he's got this far and he's still going to lose Merlin. 

"Merlin! Merlin, I'm sorry! Merlin, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it Merlin! I'm sorry!" Arthur is screaming and he doesn't care just exactly how much like a child he sounds. But he freezes, and so does Leon, at the sound of the bars of Merlin's cell claning into the bars of the cell opposite.


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin stepped out of the cell, and turned to face the knights and Arthur, who, for a moment, are just staring at him.

"Merlin!" yells Arthur, jumping from Leon's arms, and rushing to hug Merlin. Immediately Merlin's arms are over his shoulders, his hands strong and reassuring on Arthur's shoulders. 

"But..." starts the Kay, backing away, eyes wide.

"Merlin! Merlin, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! I didn't! I was just annoyed at you. I don't want you to die!" says Arthur crying and trying to bury his face in Merlin's shirt.

"Merlin, if you could do that, why have you been in the cell so long?" asks Leon, his hand out warily.

"Because he's a fool." says Gwaine, but even he's looking slightly taken aback.

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asks, on hand coming to rest protectively on Arthur's head.

"I should tell Sir Agravaine" says Leon, but he's frowning as he watches Merlin, hand still frozen in front of him awkwardly.

"No!" Yells Arthur, pulling away from Merlin so that he can look at Merlin for a moment, then turning to face Leon. "I don't want him dead and I'm the King!"

"Sire, you're not thinking straight. You're only a child! Sir Agravaine is your guardian. Even if I did disagree..." he trails off, and even at only nine, Merlin can see what he means. The decision will not be his or Leon's. Which means it will be Agravaine's, and he suspects Agravaine wouldn't want to waste a good Scaffold. 

"You should run, Merlin" says Gwaine. And for a moment Arthur is frowning, then looking back up at Merlin, reaching a hand tentatively forward. 

"Take me too." he says "Please, we'll both run away, together".

Merlin drops to his knees so he's on an eye line with Arthur. He looks sad. 

"Sire, I can't."

"Why not?" demands Arthur indignantly.

"Because that's kidnap, Sire." says Leon. Arthur turns to glare at him, but unfortunately that's still not working. 

"He's right" says Merlin.

"But I want to come! It's my choice." argues Arthur, because it's clear, if he wants to go, it's not kidnap. 

"Your uncle won't see it that way. And it'll only convince them I've got you under a spell" explains Merlin. He is unmoved and sad.

"But I am under a spell!" says Arthur.

"I know, Arthur, but they think it's a spell to control what you do, not just to make you little. They think that as soon as you're big again, you'll have me executed, so they think they're following your orders." says Merlin holding Arthur's shoulders. 

"But it's not true!" says Arthur, furious tears rolling down his face, which Merlin gently wipes away with his thumbs.

"You don't know that, Arthur." he says, and a tear of his own runs down his cheek. Arthur can't stand it. Merlin still thinks he wants him dead, even though he's already told him he doesn't. It's suddenly so clear to Arthur just how hopeless this situation is, and his head drops. He feels a finger under his chin, so he lifts his head up to look at Merlin.

"But if you really want, I can run away." For a moment Arthur looks at him, lip wobbling. Then he nods, just slightly. Merlin quickly kisses him on the forehead, then he's standing up properly, and facing Leon. For a moment, Leon looks back at him, then he also nods slightly, and stands back. Then Merlin is disappearing into the corridor.

"You just let him go?!" demands Kay.

"He just tore out the bars to a cell without touching them, and threw them across the room." says Gwaine, turning to look at Kay

"The King is safe, which is my main priority" adds Leon, 

"Now, lets get his royal highness..."

"His majesty" corrects Arthur, glaring up at Leon.

"Apologies. Your majesty, but I should get you back to your chambers, then report to your uncle."

Arthur has a long hard think as Leon walks him back to his chambers. He has heard the passing chatter that Merlin's escape has sent round the castle even as they're walking along. But by the time he gets back to his chamber he has a bit more of a plan.

"Leon, my head hurts. Can you send for Gaius?" he asks as innocently as he can. Thankfully Leon doesn't seem to be paying him much attention, to busy in thoughts of his own. Which is a good thing, because Arthur's never been a good actor, and was even worse at lying as a child.

"Of course Sire, it's been a very stressful day. I'll have him sent over."

When Gaius arrives he's looking tired and has a bottle of something with him. He's also distracted, looking around him in thought as he enters.

"I understand you have a headache, Sire." he says, walking forward, and beginning to uncork the bottle. Arthur waits until the door is closed.

"I don't have a head ache, I wanted to speak to you." he says, almost smiling, because this is a very cunning plan.

"What did you want to speak to me about, Sire?" says Gaius, and there's an edge to his voice. He's suspicious. And he's annoyed, although he's trying to hide both. So Arthur forgets his cunning plan for a moment.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for him to nearly die. He's escaped now though, he'll be okay." he says trying to be reassuring. 

"Oh, you know that, do you?" replies Gaius, and there's definitely an edge to it now. "He'll be okay with every knight out hunting for him, hunting him down! All it'll take is one arrow, caught off guard by one sword..."

And now a new fear has entered Arthur's head. He'd assumed the only problem now was re-aging himself and getting Merlin back. But now it's also getting Merlin back alive, and there's no guarantee of that. He might have saved Merlin from an execution, but he might just have delayed the inevitable. Clearly his face is painting a very vivid picture of the emotions erupting through him, because suddenly Arthur finds himself enveloped in a slightly hunched hug.

"I'm sorry, Sire. I... forgot that you're actually, you're still little. I'm sorry, I know you saved him today. I heard. Gwaine told me." Gaius' hug is stronger than Arthur would have expected. It's conforting, even if Gaius did just lose his temper. 

"But he might still die, and it'll be all my fault." Arthur cries into Gaius' robe.

"I'm sorry. I was upset and I'm so worried for him, just like you. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"I want him back!" cries Arthur.

"I know, so do I, Sire. I... he's cleverer than you think, and stronger. He'll be okay, I'm sure of it." Arthur thinks he's be surer if Gaius hadn't been so unsure just a moment ago, but he doesn't say anything because Gaius sounds like he's trying to reassure himself, and Arthur's already worried about asking the next part now. So for a moment he just lets Gaius hug him. Then, quietly, without moving, he asks

"Gaius, can you do any magic?"


End file.
